A trainer with a horse in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the major one-mile contest on Oct. 18 at Ascot in England, recently was quoted saying that the QE II, save for crack miler Field of Gold, was coming up a winnable race this year. Most of the better European milers, he said, seemed to be pointing toward the Breeders’ Cup Mile. It’s true. And now even Field of Gold might be headed to Del Mar. Unraced since a shock defeat July 30 in the Sussex Stakes, which he exited with a relatively minor injury, Field of Gold will contest the QE II, but might return two weeks later for the BC Mile. With that possibility, he’s the shortest price among the top 10 possible Mile runners about one month out from the race. Eight of them are overseas horses, and three of those race Saturday at Keeneland in the Coolmore Turf Mile, the last important North American prep for the BC Mile. Sunday’s Prix de la Foret in Paris regularly produces a Mile runner or two. Deterministic led the American turf-mile division after winning the Grade 1 Fourstardave on Aug. 2 but hasn’t posted a timed workout since that start; barring a miracle, it’s too late for the Breeders’ Cup. :: BREEDERS’ CUP MILE: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more Johannes, a good second in the 2024 Mile at Del Mar, got into worlds of trouble making his belated 2025 debut in the Fourstardave, checking in ninth, but looked like his old self capturing the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile last Saturday at Santa Anita. He’s on track for his second Mile start, while Formidable Man skipped the City of Hope to come into the BC Mile fresh. He’s led the California middle-distance turf division all year yet might wind up something like seventh or eighth choice in the BC Mile if the Europeans show up in numbers. Notable Speech nabbed third in the 2024 Mile as a 3-year-old and will rate among this year’s favorites after a solid win in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. But he’s no better than several other Europeans. Diego Velazquez, a disappointing ninth starting his season in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, nipped Notable Speech in the Group 1 Jacques Le Marois over a straight mile Aug. 17 at Deauville. Diego Velazquez will be among the favorites in the Coolmore Turf Mile on Saturday, a race that also drew France-based Woodshauna and England-based Jonquil. Jonquil, like Field of Gold owned by Juddmonte, has yet to win a Group 1 but narrowly missed in the French 2000 Guineas this past June, defeated by Henri Matisse, whose name also has been mentioned for the BC Mile. Woodshauna, another 3-year-old, has yet to race as far as one mile but landed the age-restricted Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over seven furlongs. ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save big. Rosallion, who has taken three brutal Group 1 beats this year, won multiple Group 1s last year at age 3 and rates as one of the world’s better milers. Sahlan, a progressive French 3-year-old, pipped him Sept. 7 in the Prix du Moulin. Qirat won the Sussex as a 150-1 pacemaker for Field of Gold, and he, too, could wind up at Del Mar. The most interesting Americans in the Turf Mile at Keeneland: Howard Wolowitz and Program Trading. It also will be interesting to see how many American horses make the gate in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.